recharging while driving
I'm winding my way south and boondocking. Last power was in Regina, SK I used a heating pad and lots of computer time last night, powering them from a 400 watt MSW inverter. Batteries were at...
Forum Discussion
Hi all,
Today I isolated the house batteries by switching off both solenoids. Voltage gradually climbed from solar charging to 14.2 and about 9 amps were flowing in.
Voltage also climbed on the engine.
Then something odd happened. At 14.2 on the house jars--the ammeter that measures flow between the house and alternator charging circuits started showing energy transferring to the engine. I don't understand how the power was being transmitted with the solenoids on the off position.
There is a Trik-l-start but that doesn't get measured by the Hall effect ammeter, so far as I am aware. I could be wrong about that.
At lunch time I had a hankering for Kraft Dinner. So I boiled 6 quarts of water and then cooked the pasta for 8 minutes. Total run time was about 15 minutes and demand was 68 amps.
When I went back to traveling I switch the charger circuit back in. About 4 amps flowed to the house batteries and after 2 hours that had dropped to 1 amp.
When I stopped voltage was 12.9 on the house jars. Of course that was with the parasitic load of the gas valve on the fridge.
One more night of boondocking. I'm at Lake City Walmart which is open 24 hours. Tomorrow just a 3 hour drive. After that, the solar will be maintaining the house and starter batteries.
Today I isolated the house batteries by switching off both solenoids. Voltage gradually climbed from solar charging to 14.2 and about 9 amps were flowing in.
Voltage also climbed on the engine.
Then something odd happened. At 14.2 on the house jars--the ammeter that measures flow between the house and alternator charging circuits started showing energy transferring to the engine. I don't understand how the power was being transmitted with the solenoids on the off position.
There is a Trik-l-start but that doesn't get measured by the Hall effect ammeter, so far as I am aware. I could be wrong about that.
At lunch time I had a hankering for Kraft Dinner. So I boiled 6 quarts of water and then cooked the pasta for 8 minutes. Total run time was about 15 minutes and demand was 68 amps.
When I went back to traveling I switch the charger circuit back in. About 4 amps flowed to the house batteries and after 2 hours that had dropped to 1 amp.
When I stopped voltage was 12.9 on the house jars. Of course that was with the parasitic load of the gas valve on the fridge.
One more night of boondocking. I'm at Lake City Walmart which is open 24 hours. Tomorrow just a 3 hour drive. After that, the solar will be maintaining the house and starter batteries.
